ICELAND THE BEAUTY OF AURORA BOREALIS HASSELBLAD MASTERS HANS STRAND 8 DAYS OF PHOTOGRAPHY THE BEST OF ICELAND HASSELBLAD EXPERIENCE

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1 ICELAND THE BEAUTY OF AURORA BOREALIS HASSELBLAD MASTERS HANS STRAND 8 DAYS OF PHOTOGRAPHY HASSELBLAD EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF ICELAND

2 Photo by David Trud Thanks for choosing Better Moments for your next adventure workshop. Better Moments was founded in 2011 by Philip Boissevain and me, two experienced veterans of the international professional photography industry. We met when working at Hasselblad, Philip as the Global Marketing manager and me as the Global Photographer Relations manager. Today Better Moments has become the leading photo workshop platform organizing high-end workshops for photo enthusiasts worldwide. HASSELBLAD EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF ICELAND PHOTOGRAPHY WITH PASSION You will learn from the world s most experienced photographers within their fields to refine your personal style and sharpen your technical skills. Additionally, we want you to share your excitement for photography and enjoy great moments in life. And we want you to explore your passion and expand your photographic skills and vision. Better Moments CEO and founder: Christian Nørgaard Graphic design: Anders Lundgren Text editor: Jeff Grant All images and text in this catalog are under International Copyright Legislation. However, Better Moment s guests and potential customers may download the catalog for private use, but not for any commercial use. Any violation of the International Copyright Legislation will be reported to the International Court of Justice of International Copyright Legislation Cover photo by Hans Strand Better Moments mission is to deliver exclusive workshops in landscape, wildlife and travel photography at unique locations around the world. I want you to explore your passion for photography and work and earn from the world s most renowned photographers who all have excellent teaching skills, local knowledge and experience. Photography with passion, Christian Nørgaard

3 THE EXPERIENCE INSPIRING PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCES AROUND THE WORLD Hosted by a selection of top photographers, you will have access to a range of professional Hasselblad equipment during the trips including the X1D and all existing lenses. Whether you are new to photography or an established photographer, you will learn a variety of techniques to develop your skills, and perfect your shooting and composition while visiting some of the world s most spectacular landscapes.

4 Photo by Hans Strand

5 THE BEAUTY OF AURORA BOREALIS Winter time in Iceland is the perfect to enjoy one of the most spectacular natural phenomena, the aurora borealis. It leaves everyone who sees it in awe, and with memories of unforgettable beauty. Iceland is the land of ice and fire, volcano craters, spurting geysers, glaciers, boiling mud pools and waterfalls. Its mysterious landscapes are an inspiration for many artists and photographers, with a passion for landscape photography. Encounter and marvel at Iceland in winter with the magical Aurora Borealis. HASSELBLAD EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF ICELAND Photo by Hans Strand

6 TRAVEL WITH PASSION Better Moments mission is to deliver exclusive workshops. We want you to explore your passion for photography and work with the most renowned photographer, Hans Strand during your Iceland Hasselblad Photo Workshop. HIGHLIGHTS Shooting the Aurora Borealis. Aerial photography over lake Hvítarvatn and the unchartered river Fulákvisl. Shooting the steep basalt cliffs of Arnarstapi. Shooting along of the beach of Djupalónsandur Beach with its black pebbles and cubistic basalt walls. Glacier trip to the snow cap of Snaefellsjökull at 1446 m. Brúarfoss, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world and many other amazing waterfalls. Volcanic landscapes and a unique oasis. Shoot between continental plates and see the clearest water on earth. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN Learn how to approach the unique challenges of landscape photography and how to capture expansiveness, dynamic energy and the simplicity of natural landscape photography. Composition and focus on lines, golden section, perspective, foreground, middleground and background. Work in different lighting and with short/long exposure times and aperture. How to handle equipment with care on location. Private hands-on lessons that can help in taking your photography skills to the next level. IN CLASSROOM Expert review and constructive criticism of the images taken during the day. Workflow in Photoshop and/or Lightroom, and printing. Portfolio Review. A Better Moments Certified Photo Instructor is available during the entire workshop to offer assistance with camera settings, the basics of composition, and to generally guide and help. PRICE & BOOKING ON LOCATION Teaching and training in the best techniques and personal hints and advice. Photo by Hans Strand

7 Photo by Hans Strand

8 HANS Hans was born in 1955 in Marmaverken, Sweden. For more than 20 years, the entire world has been his workplace. Photographing everything from the vast expanses of the Arctic, to steaming rainforests and dry deserts. My back broke down and I could not sit all day long, like I was doing as an engineer. At this time my great hobby was landscape photography, so I took a chance and became a professional and it has worked since MADE IN SWEDEN His work has been displayed in numerous exhibitions and published in many international photography magazines. He has received several awards for his photography, including the Hasselblad Master Award in Hans has lectured on his photography internationally and published a number of photography books, with more on the way. Photography is not about capturing what you see, but to interpret what you feel T R A N D Photo by Ross Brown

9 CAREER CHANGE After working as a mechanical engineer for nine years he made a career change. The complexity and the sense of being a part of nature. After all, all living things have their origin in the wild landscape. I have always found myself drawn to the untamed and unmanipulated nature. The wilderness is the mother of all living things. It is always honest and never trivial. BAD WEATHER IS TERRIFIC As a professional and especially having spent many years in the northern hemisphere, Hans has developed a style very much reflecting his attitude towards weather. The right weather is important, but not everything. Shooting a rugged landscape like Iceland in sunshine is not what you want. There you want moody conditions to get the right drama in the landscape. On the other hand, you have to work with the light you have at hand and try to make the best of it. You can t just skip taking pictures because you don t get what you have anticipated. There are always possibilities in every kind of light. Often landscape photographers regard grey weather as bad weather, but I think it is terrific. Photo by Hans Strand

10 A NORTHMAN OF ICE AND FIRE In the late 90 Hans went on a unique expedition to the icy Arctics. The Arctic landscape is virgin territory. In 1999 I visited the island of Ellef Ringnes in Northern Nunavut. Hardly anyone has been there since 1904 when the island was discovered, and definitely no one has been photographing there. The silence and the long lasting light are fantastic. It is very minimalistic compared to a rainforest but nevertheless complex. In 2004 I visited Svalbard and was even taking pictures of polar bears. Normally I am not so interested in wildlife photography, but seeing a polar bear in its natural habitat is something very special. Hans has travelled between the deserts of America to the Tasmanian outback and photographed a wide range of landscapes, but when it comes down to the favorites he always ends up in Iceland. Each year since 2000 I have returned to Iceland to take pictures. I find its landscapes the most spectacular in the world. Nowhere else have I seen landscapes with such complexity and color. I have also practiced aerial photography a lot and have found new perspectives to take my landscape photographs. THE FIRST ROLLS OF FILM Hans was 25 years old when he bought his first camera during a school trip to the United States. That s where he took his first rolls of film, on the holy ground for landscape photography since Ansel Adams first captured his iconic images there. But it wasn t the last rolls of film for Hans Strand either. Today he s a widely acclaimed landscape photographer with high workshop expertise in the northern landscapes. Photo by Hans Strand

11 ITINERARY DAY 1 ARRIVAL IN ICELAND Better Moments will meet you in Reykjavik at our hotel for dinner and present a detailed briefing on the coming week and workshop. DAY 2 SNAEFELLSNES, BASALT CLIFFS AND BLACK PEBBLES Departure for Snaefellsnes. Stay at our hotel on the cliffs overlooking the Northern Atlantic. Shooting the steep basalt cliffs of Arnarstapi and the motion of the sea. Just a few kilometers north are the huge sea stacks and lava formation of Lóndrangar. We ll also be shooting along of the beach of Djupalónsandur Beach with its black pebbles and cubistic basalt walls. DAY 3 GLACIER TRIP AND AURORA BOREALIS A full day trip to the snow cap of Snaefellsjökull reaching 1446 m. Later we ll have a evening session of the mesmerizing aurora borealis at Kirkjufell on the north side of Snaefellsnes. DAY 4 MAGICAL BRÚARFOSS AND MAJESTIC GULLFOSS Departure from Snaefellsnes. A full day shooting waterfalls. First stop at the complex system of waterfalls at Hraunfossar. where the water comes straight out of lava field and enters a 1 km long canyon. Next stop is Brúarfoss, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world. In the evening shoot the aurora borealis at the gigantic waterfall Gullfoss. We stay at our hotel near Gullfoss. DAY 5 AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND AURORA BOREALIS This is our aerial photography day where we ll be shooting over the mystical river Fulákvisl and lake Hvítarvatn. In the evening we ll admire and shoot aurora borealis over Gullfoss. DAY 6 VOLCANIC LANDSCAPES AND UNIQUE OASIS We will go into the fantastic volcanic landscape of Kerlingarfjöll with its memorable waterfalls and to Ásgarðsá river canyon with rolling hills of rhyolite. In the evening we scout for the aurora borealis at the unique oasis in the highlands, the hot spring area of Hveravellir. DAY 7 BETWEEN CONTINENTAL PLATES AND THR CLEAREST WATER ON EARTH In the evening we arrive at our hotel in Reykjavik. But first we stop at Thingvellir to shoot the crack between the North-American and the European continental plates and the volcanic landscape. We ll also shoot at the crystal clear waters of Silfrá. This dreamlike water area with its 200m visibility, has some of the clearest water on earth. DAY 8 DEPARTURE Departure after checkout. PRICE & BOOKING HOME HASSELBLAD EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF ICELAND Photo by Hans Strand

12 Photo by Hans Strand

13 GETTING THERE There are several flights from a number of major European and North American gateways to Keflavik International Airport in Iceland. Flight times are approximately 3 hours from London and about 5 hours from New York. Keflavik is 48 km to the west of Reykjavík. Domestic flights, flights to Greenland and the Faroe Islands operate mostly out of Reykjavík Airport, which is located in the city center. VISA Iceland is a member of the Schengen Agreement. Nationals of EU and EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) countries only need a valid national identity card or passport for entry. All other visitors are required to have a passport valid for at least three months beyond the intended stay, and some will need a visa. Please check with the local embassy. WEATHER Iceland enjoys a cool temperate maritime climate thanks to the Gulf Stream, but the weather is known to change quickly and often. The average daily temperature in Reykjavik ranges from -3 C in January to 11 C in July. LANGUAGE The official language is Icelandic, but most Icelanders speak English. CURRENCY The Icelandic monetary unit is the Krona (ISK). QUICK GUIDE The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa and the most famous sight in Iceland. The Gullfoss waterfall is spectacular. Geysir, the namesake of all geysers, and its neighbour Strokkur, which erupts every five minutes or so. Þingvellir National Park, a beautiful landscape of watercut lava fields, which is historically important as the site of Iceland s parliament from 930 AD. Vatnajökull glacier is in Southeast Iceland and is Europe s largest glacier. Jökulsarlon, the largest glacier lake in Iceland, is located off Route 1 and part of Vatnajökull glacier. In the colder months, one may frequently get stunning views of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), anywhere away from city lights. Whale watching available all year from Reykjavik and during the summer from Husavik. Iceland is one of the safest places in the world, and there is almost no risk of getting robbed or harassed. EMERGENCY Emergency phone number: 112. AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY Due to weather conditions we may need to change the flight plans and locations PRICE & BOOKING QUICK GUIDE We wish you to travel with the greatest possible comfort and to know that you have received as much information as possible HOME Photo by Hans Strand

14 EQUIPMENT Whether this is your first trip or your hundredth workshop with us, it s always helpful to have a rundown of what items you may want to pack so you have a travel checklist. Bookmark this packing list, because you ll want to refer back to it to make sure you ve thought of everything you might want to pack. CLOTHING A good plan is to dress layer-by-layer. You then are well prepared for whatever weather arrives. Wind and waterproof jacket Wind and waterproof pants Rubber boots - with room for extra (wool) socks Hiking boots Wool underwear Fleece/sweater Cap Gloves Waterproof outdoor cushions - nice to sit on when we sail in the arctics or when we sit and enjoy the scenery on land. A small backpack Binoculars NICE TO HAVE Sunscreen Sunglasses A swimsuit (for hot springs in Iceland only) CAMERA The camera list is for inspiration, since you know better than anyone what equipment you prefer. Bring you own laptop computer and storage medium Camera bodie(s) Tripod Lenses, 24-70mm zoom and mm zoom or similar lenses are very good Bag for all camera gear Light bag for easy hiking with camera bodies and accessories Cleaning kit for cameras and lenses Rain/dust covers for cameras and lenses Charger for batteries Spare batteries Standard power converter Raw processing software Memory cards and card wallets Memory card reader USB key to exchange images NICE TO HAVE Lens extenders Camera straps for ease of changing from one camera to another Graduated filter set Filter holder High quality polarizing filter Lens belt Photo by Hans Strand

15 Photo by Hans Strand

16 PHOTOGRAPHER Each month we select a photographer from one of our many workshops who deserves special recognition. The Photographer of the Month is chosen by the Better Moments workshop experts, including Better Moments CEO, Christian Nørgaard. Jack Pasht was awarded Photographer Of The Month, June 2016 Jack Pasht participated in the Iceland 2015 workshop. My love of photography has spanned over forty years, from the traditional wet darkroom to the most current trends in digital photography. My photographic interests are constantly changing, but have focused primarily on landscape, wildlife and urban space and structures. OF THE MONTH BETTERMOMENTS.COM